Power Man & Iron Fist Annual #1 Review: Christmas Eve Smack Down
By Alex Widen
It’s the season for sharing and caring, or last minute gift grabbing! A Christmas Eve trek for Luke Cage and Iron Fist leads to a brawl with Krampus! Will they have to face him alone?
Power Man and Iron Fist Sweet Christmas Annual #1
Writer: David Walker
Artist: Scott Hepburn
Colorist: Matt Milla
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If it’s December, that means it’s the time for Christmas-themed comics! IDW already had plenty of merriment with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so far. As per the norm, Marvel Comics often has one, if not several, Christmas-themed comics out around now. This annual is not only patterned around Luke Cage’s famous catch phrase, but features a tale by the main Power Man and Iron Fist writer as well! It also features what could be considered a Defenders reunion.
Image by Marvel Comics
Gustav Silbe has opened up a giant toy store in Time’s Square called “Toyverse.” The signature product being sold there are “the Schnuckies,” a video game and toy franchise Silbe created. Eager for recognition on TV as well as embracing all religions, Silbe recommends patrons “buy happiness” within. Setting up a toy store which is open 24/7 as of Black Friday, the line to get inside is naturally around the block by Christmas Eve, when Luke Cage and Danny Rand turn up.
Image by Marvel Comics
They Really Should Have Shopped Online!
Image by Marvel Comics
Luke Cage waited until the last minute to grab a Schnuckie for his daughter Danielle. So he and his best pal are out for the full contact sport of toy shopping during the holidays. While such a trip can usually be full contact, this time around it’s ridiculous! Cage quickly gets a desperate call from Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), whose trip with her own infant son has gotten hectic. And Daimon Hellstrom, the “Son of Satan,” turns up with his giant pitchfork for his own mysterious mission.
Image by Marvel Comics
It turns out that Gustav Silbe isn’t just a creepy fellow selling toys, but is the demonic Krampus himself! Originating from Eastern bloc folklore, Krampus is the darker reflection of St. Nicholas. Usually able to enter the Earth realm on Christmas Eve, he collects the souls of wicked children. Having been stopped by Santa Claus a century ago, this time Krampus seeks nothing less than world domination! His Schnuckies turn out to be demonic minions, and they go on the attack!
Image by Marvel Comics
Cage and Drew get interrupted comparing parenthood notes to defend the mall. Iron Fist proves willing to battle an army of hordes to save his goddaughter, Danielle. And it turns out that this time, Hellstorm is on the side of the angels against Krampus. Considering three out of these four heroes were Defenders for varying lengths of time, this could be considered an impromptu reunion! Yet when all four heroes are unable to stop Krampus, a tag in from Santa saves the day!
Image by Marvel Comics
There Really Needs To Be a Superhero Babysitting Service!
Image by Marvel Comics
David Walker takes a break from his regular arc to write what is a simple yet entertaining romp. Many Christmas comics tend to buckle from their own saccharine weight. While this annual has some genuine moments about parenthood, it also has a fun smack down against a lessor known demon. Krampus has never been used in the Marvel Universe before, which is rare for any mythological creature. Daimon’s near insanity is also played for some laughs midway through.
Image by Marvel Comics
The art by Scott Hepburn and Matt Milla is quite good. There are some exaggerated liberties taken during the action scenes, but Hepburn gets away with them. I like all of the heroes’ winter gear, in particular Danny’s ski mask and Daimon’s own Santa suit. Krampus himself looks particularly nasty, and Hepburn gets a lot of mileage out of the demonic Schnuckies. His design for St. Nicholas in the finale is also pretty awesome, at least for those who want to see Santa kick butt.
Image by Marvel Comics
Despite the fun romp, there are some questionable moments. During the exposition, Daimon claims that Krampus can only enter “this realm, once a year, on Christmas.” Yet earlier in the story, Krampus is in “this realm” under the guise of Gustav Silbe at least a month earlier. Previous Power Man and Iron Fist stories typically show Luke’s daughter, Danielle, as being about two years old. Here, she is clearly three or four and forming much longer sentences. In real life, she’d be ten.
Image by Marvel Comics
And to All a Good Fight!
Image by Marvel Comics
Santa Claus himself has had a long history within the Marvel Universe. Despite statements to the contrary within, he’s interacted with mortals quite recently. Many characters and teams have met Santa personally. They include Captain America, Bucky, Nick Fury, Ant-Man, Doctor Doom, Howard the Duck, She-Hulk, the X-Men, and Generation X. It is also a bit staggering that heroes who have all met active Norse and Greek gods would balk at the hint that Santa Claus could be real.
Image by Marvel Comics
Next: Harlem is still Burning in Power Man and Iron Fist #11!
This Sweet Christmas Annual is just the right treat for the holiday season. It has some entertaining moments of parenting by Luke Cage and Jessica Drew. There are some cute bonding moments between Danny and Danielle, and a sweet tag team moment between the title heroes at the end. There’s no sappy moral or guilt trip laid out, just a perfect one-shot gift to fans of Marvel heroes everywhere. It may be one of Marvel’s best Christmas comics ever produced! Sweet Christmas!